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Lowell's Cambodian 'community has lost a great leader' in Bunrith Lach

By Grant Welker, gwelker@lowellsun.com

Updated:
01/30/2016 07:12:12 AM EST

Bunrith Lach

LOWELL -- Pailin City restaurant has always been a central piece of Lowell's Cambodian community, hosting countless fundraisers, political gatherings and other events.

The adjacent Pailin Asian Supermarket on Branch Street was one of the first markets offering Asian food to Cambodians coming into the city when it opened in 1985. It was also a place where new immigrants could find out what was going on in the community.

Bunrith Lach, the man behind both the restaurant and the market, became a central part of the Cambodian community over the years as well.

"He was the pioneer of Cambodian businesses," said Rithy Uong, a former city councilor and close friend of Lach's.

Lach, who was 62, died Sunday after a four-year battle with cancer, according to his family.

Like many other Cambodians in Lowell, Lach first came to the United States to escape the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. He was born in the southern Cambodian province of Kandal.

The same year he moved here, in 1985, he opened his market serving food to immigrants just like him.

In addition to his business acumen, Lach also led in many community roles. He served as chairman of the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association, an organization that serves an important role to many Cambodians new to the city. The CMAA awarded Lach several years ago for his service.

Lach helped create the Southeast Asian Water Festival in 1997, and was among the founders of the Buddhist Trairatanaram Temple in Chelmsford.

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He served for a time on the Lowell Memorial Auditorium board of trustees. He was also recently on the Cambodian refugee memorial planning committee with several city officials and members of Lowell's Cambodian community.

Virak Uy, a teacher at the Lowell Community Charter Public School, began interviewing Lach more than a year ago to do a film on his life.

"I always admired him and respected him," Uy said. "He was a businessman, but he was also very generous."

Lach spoke to Uy about his journey from a refugee camp back home to being a central figure in Lowell's Cambodian business community. "His contributions to the Lowell community is a big part of where we are right now," Uy said.

Most knew him from his restaurant, which hosted countless weddings, birthday parties and other events.

"He wanted to build a restaurant the community could be proud of," Uy said.

State Rep. Rady Mom held a victory gathering at the restaurant the night he was elected in November 2014, and knew Lach for years, calling his businesses landmarks in the city.

"The community has lost a great leader to really care about this community," he said.

Lach also had close ties to city officials beyond the Cambodian community. He was among the first from the community to establish ties with the city government and acted as a contact point between both parties.

"He was really a leader among the elders, the first immigrants leaving the camps to come into Lowell," said Kevin Coughlin, the city's deputy director of planning and community development, who works closely with the Cambodian community.

Lach was often the first to contribute to any cause, such as the first boats delivered for the Water Festival, Coughlin said.

Other city officials also remembered Lach well.

"What a wonderful man. Any time there was a cause, he was always front and center to give money," City Councilor Rita Mercier said.

Councilor Rodney Elliott, who as mayor made close ties with the Cambodian community, called Lach a soft-spoken man who was well-respected as an elder in the community.

"He was an incredible philanthropist," he said. "He was a man of humble means though."

Lach is survived by his wife, Malee Thai, and four children: sons Rasy An and Ramy An, and daughters Bonieta Lach and Melissa Lach.

Services for Lach Thursday at the Glory Buddhist Temple were attended by U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, former Lowell City Manager John Cox and former City Councilor Vesna Nuon, among others. A traditional seventh-day ceremony is scheduled for today from 8 a.m. to noon at Pailin City restaurant, 6 Branch St.

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